Amtrak Completes Upgrades at Durham Station

Customers will experience more accessible path to travel

WASHINGTON – Amtrak is excited to announce renovations at the Durham Station are now complete. The $1.5 million project to improve the station is part of the ongoing and companywide commitment at Amtrak to ensure a safe, efficient, and comfortable travel experience for customers.

The Amtrak Carolinian and Piedmont provide daily service to the station at 601 W. Main Street. The services are sponsored by the North Carolina Department of Transportation and operated by Amtrak and paid for through state funding and passenger fares. The trains operate between Raleigh and Charlotte, with the Carolinian continuing service to New York.

“Providing an accessible travel experience is a priority and we’re actively advancing construction, renovation, repair, and upgrade projects at stations across our national network,” Amtrak Vice President of Accessibility Dr. David Handera said. “We are pleased we delivered these improvements to the Durham station and for our customers and community.”

The renovation project included the installation of new doors and an automatic system for customers to enter and exit the station, and upgrades to the men’s and women’s restrooms. A new fire alarm system and signs were installed. A cane detection rail, a horizontal bar, was installed at the bottom of the ticket counter. The bar is detectable by a person who uses a cane, and it will alert them the counter is within their path.

Customers will access new accessible pathways extending from the parking lot to the station and platform, and accessible parking spaces. The station features new signs along the platform, parking lot and customer drop off area.

“The Federal Railroad Administration is excited about the upgrades completed at Durham Station, and we are proud of our work with Amtrak to ensure more Americans have access to the passenger rail service they need and deserve, which very much includes Americans with disabilities, our aging population, and others who rely on and benefit from accessible and convenient passenger rail,” FRA Administrator Amit Bose said. “As part of President Biden’s Investing in America agenda and with funding from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, the federal government is investing well over a billion dollars in rail projects and planning activities across North Carolina, and we will continue to invest even more across the country.”

Amtrak has invested more than $850 million since 2011 in accessibility upgrades and improvement projects at 120 stations across the national network to ensure a safe, efficient, and comfortable travel experience for customers with disabilities. The improvements include repairs and upgrades to platforms, ramps and sidewalks, and renovations to entranceways and restrooms, with 20 stations brought into compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act last year. Another 35 stations are targeted for completion this fiscal year at a forecasted investment of $165 million.

Our program is advancing 140 station designs and 43 station construction projects as part of Amtrak’s ongoing commitment to providing accessibility by working toward 100% completion by 2029.

“Accessibility to everyone is an important part of the total passenger experience,” Jason Orthner, NCDOT Rail Division director said. “Working with Amtrak and local partners to ensure safe, accessible and convenient travel guarantee future growth and success of passenger rail in North Carolina and beyond.”

Reactions:

Senator Thom Tillis (R-NC)

“The upgrades at Durham Station will make North Carolinians experience traveling on Amtrak easier, safer, and more accessible,” Senator Thom Tillis said. “Amtrak’s investment in Durham is another example of their commitment to improving customer experience and rail service across our state.”

Leonardo Williams, Durham Mayor

“The Durham Station provides many of our residents an alternative mode of transportation across the state and beyond. I am excited about these renovations, as these upgrades will increase accessibility and enhance rail travel for those in need here in Durham,” Mayor Leonardo Williams said.